impart：to give information, knowledge, wisdom etc to someone
She had information that she couldn't wait to impart.
historic：a historic event or act is very important and will be recorded as part of history
a historic meeting of world leaders
'It is a historic moment ,' he told journalists.
concern：if a story, book, report etc concerns someone or something, it is about them
This study concerns couples' expectations of marriage.
The report concerns the drug traffic on the Mexican-US border.
ruin：the part of a building that is left after the rest has been destroyed
an interesting old ruin
the ruins of a bombed-out office block
restore：to repair an old building, piece of furniture, or painting etc so that it is in its original condition
The church was carefully restored after the war.
a Victorian fireplace restored to its former glory
lecture：to talk to a group of people on a particular subject, especially to students in a university
lecture on
He lectures on European art at Manchester University.
ply：ply somebody with questions
to keep asking someone questions
tickle：if a situation, remark etc tickles you, it amuses or pleases you
be tickled pink (=be very pleased or amused)
The kids were tickled pink to see you on TV!
vanity：too much pride in yourself, so that you are always thinking about yourself and your appearance
Sabrina had none of the vanity so often associated with beautiful women.
peg：something that is used as a reason for doing, discussing, or believing something
As a peg to hang it on, the tournament had the 100th anniversary of Nehru's birth.
acquaintance：make somebody's acquaintance
to meet someone for the first time
I should be delighted to make Mrs McGough's acquaintance.
At the hotel, I made the acquaintance of a young American actor.
propose：to suggest something as a plan or course of action
the changes currently proposed by the local planning authorities the proposed budget cuts
propose that
In his speech he proposed that the UN should set up an emergency centre for the environment.
propose doing something
The report also proposes extending the motorway.
strike：strike out
to start walking or swimming in a particular direction, especially in a determined way
She struck out for the side of the pool.
deprive：deprive somebody of something
to prevent someone from having something, especially something that they need or should have
A lot of these children have been deprived of a normal home life.
inexpressible：an inexpressible feeling is too strong to be described in words
inexpressible gratitude
ascent：a path or way up to the top of something, for example a mountain
a rugged and steep ascent
hazard：to say something that is only a suggestion or guess and that might not be correct
$50,000? I don't know. I'm only hazarding a guess .
methodical：a methodical person always does things carefully, using an ordered system
She's a very methodical person.
He had a neat, methodical mind.
refusal：when you say firmly that you will not do, give, or accept something
refusal to do something
His refusal to pay the fine got him into even more trouble.
flat/blunt/point-blank refusal (=an immediate direct refusal) His request was met with a blunt refusal.
refusal of
They couldn't understand her refusal of a scholarship to Yale.
assert：assert your rights/independence/superiority etc
to state very strongly your right to something
Native Americans asserting their rights to ancestral land
reference：part of something you say or write in which you mention a person or thing
reference to
There is no direct reference to her own childhood in the novel.
The article made no reference to previous research on the subject.
The governor made only a passing reference to the problem of unemployment (=he mentioned it quickly) .
ease：at ease
feeling relaxed, especially in a situation in which people might feel a little nervous
at ease with
She felt completely at ease with Bernard.
put/set somebody at (their) ease (=make someone feel relaxed)
She had an ability to put people at their ease.
endeavor：to try very hard
endeavour to do something
We always endeavor to please our customers.
crush：to press something so hard that it breaks or is damaged
His leg was crushed in the accident.
Two people were crushed to death in the rush to escape.
repast：a meal
considerable：fairly large, especially large enough to have an effect or be important
considerable amount/number etc of something
We've saved a considerable amount of money.
Michael has already spent considerable time in Barcelona.
issues of considerable importance
The series has aroused considerable interest.
abashed：embarrassed or ashamed because you have done something wrong or stupid
She looked rather abashed.
constrain：to stop someone from doing what they want to do
constrain somebody from doing something
Financial factors should not constrain doctors from prescribing the best treatment for patients.
conscious：awake and able to understand what is happening around you
The driver was still conscious when the ambulance arrived.
revive：to bring something back after it has not been used or has not existed for a period of time
Local people have decided to revive this centuries-old tradition.
boredom：the feeling you have when you are bored, or the quality of being boring
a game to relieve the boredom of a long journey the sheer boredom of being in jail
boredom with
his boredom with life in a small town
effect：the way in which an event, action, or person changes someone or something
effect on
My parents' divorce had a big effect on me.
effect of
the harmful effects of modern farming practices
the long-term effects of the drug
I could feel the effects of the thin mountain air.
This ingredient also has the effect of making your skin look younger.
A system failure has a knock-on effect throughout the whole hotel.
the cumulative effect of human activities on the global environment
A much lower dose of the painkiller can still produce the desired effect .
In mental illness, there is a complex relationship between cause and effect .
loquacious：a loquacious person likes to talk a lot
reserve：a supply of something kept to be used if it is needed
$10 million in cash reserves oil reserves
reserve of
Somehow Debbie maintained an inner reserve of strength.
confess：to admit something that you feel embarrassed about
confess (that)
Marsha confessed that she didn't really know how to work the computer.
confess to (doing) something
He confessed to having a secret admiration for his opponent.
I (have to/must) confess (=used when admitting something you feel slightly embarrassed about)
I must confess I don't visit my parents as often as I should.
despise：to dislike and have a low opinion of someone or something
She despised her neighbours.
vulgar：remarks, jokes etc that are vulgar deal with sex in a very rude and offensive way
commiserate：to express your sympathy for someone who is unhappy about something
fly：to leave somewhere in order to escape
By the time the police arrived, the men had flown.
poverty：the situation or experience of being poor
Millions of elderly people live in poverty .
We need an effective strategy to fight poverty .
continued efforts to alleviate poverty and raise living standards
scenes of abject poverty
the causes of urban poverty
recite：to say a poem, piece of literature etc that you have learned, for people to listen to
She recited a poem that she had learnt at school.
entreaty：a serious request in which you ask someone to do something for you
dither：to keep being unable to make a final decision about something
dither over/about/between
He accused the government of dithering over the deal.
Stop dithering , girl, and get on with it!
drama：a play for the theatre, television, radio etc, usually a serious one, or plays in general
the great traditions of ancient Greek drama
a TV/television/radio drama
the award-winning TV drama 'Prime Suspect'
a new drama series for Saturday nights
a drama critic
a courtroom drama (=one that takes place in a court of law)
a lavish costume drama (=one about events in a past century)
He plays a Russian spy in the comedy drama 'Sleepers'.
reputation：the opinion that people have about someone or something because of what has happened in the past
reputation for
Judge Kelso has a reputation for being strict but fair.
reputation as
In her last job she acquired a reputation as a troublemaker.
earn/gain/establish a reputation as something
His approach had won him a reputation as a tough manager.
a good/bad reputation
a hotel with a good reputation for its food
The service at Heron Lodge failed to live up to its reputation (=be as good or bad as people say it is) .
bold：so confident or determined that you sometimes offend people
You should be feeling confident and bold when you meet your bank manager.
She marched into his office as bold as brass (=very confident and not showing enough respect) .
elegant：beautiful, attractive, or graceful
a tall, elegant young woman
You can dine in elegant surroundings .
distinguished：successful, respected, and admired
a long and distinguished career
drowsy：so peaceful that you feel relaxed and almost asleep
a drowsy summer afternoon
procure：to obtain something, especially something that is difficult to get
procure something for somebody
He was accused of procuring weapons for terrorists.
swing：to make regular movements forwards and backwards or from one side to another while hanging from a particular point, or to make something do this
Let your arms swing as you walk.
a sign swinging in the wind
He was swinging his bag back and forth .
She swung her legs from side to side .
swing something by something
He marched around, swinging the gun by its handle.
surge：to suddenly move very quickly in a particular direction
surge forward/through etc
The taxi surged forward.
The crowd surged through the gates.
carpet：a carpet of something
a thick layer of something on the ground
a carpet of flowers
deaden：to make a feeling or sound less strong
medicine to deaden the pain
well：if a feeling wells or wells up in you, you start to feel it strongly
Anger welled up within him.
weigh：weigh somebody ↔ down
if a problem weighs you down, it makes you feel worried and upset
be weighed down by/with something
He felt weighed down by his responsibilities.
a family weighed down with grief
buzz：to make a continuous sound, like the sound of a bee
a loud buzzing noise
rotten：badly decayed and no longer good to use
the smell of rotten eggs
Some of the wood was completely rotten.
The apples went rotten very quickly.
issue：issue from something
if something issues from a place or thing, it comes out of it
Smoke issued from the factory chimneys.
marvel：to feel or express great surprise or admiration at something, especially someone's behaviour
'The man is a genius,' marvelled Claire.
marvel at/over
I marvelled at my mother's ability to remain calm in a crisis.
Visitors to Rome marvel over the beauty of the city.
marvel that
I marvelled that anyone could be so stupid.
limpid：clear or transparent
limpid blue eyes
disconnected：disconnected thoughts or ideas do not seem to be related to each other
bow：the front part of a ship
twilight：the time when day is just starting to become night
at twilight
romantic walks along the beach at twilight
trivial：not serious, important, or valuable
trivial problem/matter/complaint etc
We were punished for the most trivial offences.
a trivial sum
Her feelings for Simon seemed trivial by comparison .
heed：pay heed to something/take heed of something
to pay attention to something, especially something someone says, and seriously consider it
The government was taking little heed of these threats.
Tom paid no heed to her warning.
au revoir：goodbye
tension：a nervous worried feeling that makes it impossible for you to relax
The tension was becoming unbearable, and I wanted to scream.
reduce/relieve/ease etc tension
Exercise is the ideal way to relieve tension after a hard day.
occupation：a way of spending your time
One of my childhood occupations was collecting stamps.
absent：a look etc that shows you are not paying attention to or thinking about what is happening
The dull, absent look on her face implied boredom.
rehearsal：a time when all the people in a play, concert etc practise before a public performance
rehearsal for/of
a rehearsal for 'Romeo and Juliet'
in rehearsal
The dialogue was worked out by actors in rehearsal.
labored：if writing or speaking is laboured, it takes a lot of effort and is not good
Some of the episodes are very laboured.
flourish：with a flourish
with a large confident movement that makes people notice you
He opened his wallet with a flourish and took out a handful of notes.
providential：a providential event is a lucky one
decree：to make an official judgment or give an official order
decree (that)
The King decreed that there should be an end to the fighting.
devoted：strongly supporting someone or something because you admire or enjoy them
Beckham's devoted fans
The journal had a devoted following of around 1000 subscribers.
swelling：an area of your body that has become larger than normal, because of illness or injury
swelling in/on
a painless swelling in his neck
dint：by dint of (doing) something
by using a particular method
By dint of hard work and persistence, she had got the job of manager.
draft：a piece of writing or a plan that is not yet in its finished form
the rough draft of his new novel
I read the first draft and thought it was very good.
All parties eventually approved the final draft (=finished form) of the peace treaty.
malformed：if a part of someone's body is malformed, it is badly formed
malformed limbs
whimsy：a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that is unusual, strange, and often amusing
a sense of fancy and whimsy
uneasy：worried or slightly afraid because you think that something bad might happen
uneasy about
90% of those questioned felt uneasy about nuclear power.
accomplished：an accomplished writer, painter, singer etc is very skilful
highly/very accomplished a highly accomplished designer
coarse：talking in a rude and offensive way, especially about sex
coarse jokes
obligation：a moral or legal duty to do something
obligation to
America's obligation to its allies
Employers have an obligation to treat all employees equally.
Parents are under a legal obligation to educate their children.
You are under no obligation to buy any more books.
Greater resources are needed to meet these obligations .
the rights and obligations imposed on them by treaties
The government must pay for health care for war veterans - it is an obligation we owe to them.
a moral obligation to help the poor
He stayed with the team out of a sense of obligation .
benefaction：something, especially money, that someone gives a person or organization in order to help them do something good or when someone gives money in this way
precaution：something you do in order to prevent something dangerous or unpleasant from happening
Fire precautions were neglected.
as a precaution
The traffic barriers were put there as a safety precaution.
precaution against
Save your work often as a precaution against computer failure.
wise/sensible precaution
The trails are well marked, but carrying a map is a wise precaution.
Vets took precautions to prevent the spread of the disease.
take the precaution of doing something
I took the precaution of insuring my camera.
grumble：to keep complaining in an unhappy way
grumble about/at
Farmers are always grumbling about the weather.
grumble that
A few passengers grumbled that their cabins were too small.
'This is boring,' Kathleen grumbled.
devour：be devoured by something
to be filled with a strong feeling that seems to control you
Cindy felt devoured by jealousy.
turn：a change in the direction you are moving
make a left/right turn
Make a left turn at the station.
count：count on/upon somebody/something
to expect something
The presence of Paula was one thing he hadn't counted on.
count on (somebody/something) doing something
We didn't count on so many people being on vacation.
sentimental：someone who is sentimental is easily affected by emotions such as love, sympathy, sadness etc, often in a way that seems silly to other people
She said a sentimental goodbye.
sentimental about
People can be very sentimental about animals.
punctual：arriving, happening, or being done at exactly the time that has been arranged
She's always very punctual for appointments.
the punctual payment of invoices
lest：used to show that someone is afraid or worried that a particular thing might happen
worried/concerned/anxious etc lest ...
He paused, afraid lest he say too much.
She worried lest he should tell someone what had happened.
pebble：a small smooth stone found especially on a beach or on the bottom of a river
The beach was covered with smooth white pebbles.
avenue：a road or broad path between two rows of trees, especially one leading to a big house
a tree-lined avenue
deliberate：deliberate speech, thought, or movement is slow and careful
He approached her with slow, deliberate steps.
make：make up for something
to make a bad situation better, or replace something that has been lost
The team will be anxious to make up for a disappointing start to the season.
I don't eat breakfast but I make up for it at lunch.
The good days more than make up for the bad ones.
eloquent：showing a feeling or meaning without using words
The photographs are an eloquent reminder of the horrors of war.
play-acting：behaviour in which someone pretends to be serious or sincere, but is not
stock：take stock (of something)
to think carefully about the things that have happened in a situation in order to decide what to do next
While in hospital, Jeremy took stock of his life.
circumspect： thinking carefully about something before doing it, in order to avoid risk
The governor was usually circumspect when dealing with the media.
blow：blow out
blow somebody out
to stop having a friendship or relationship with someone
false：a statement, story etc that is false is completely untrue
Please decide whether the following statements are true or false.
false accusations
constraint：something that limits your freedom to do what you want
constraint on
Constraints on spending have forced the company to rethink its plans.
the constraints of family life
financial/environmental/political etc constraints
There have been financial and political constraints on development.
impose/place constraints on somebody/something
constraints imposed on teachers by large class sizes
rabble：a noisy crowd of people
rabble of
a rabble of angry youths
bourgeois：belonging to or typical of the part of society that is rich, educated, owns land etc, according to Marxism
attribute：attribute something to somebody/something
to believe or say that a situation or event is caused by something
The fall in the number of deaths from heart disease is generally attributed to improvements in diet.
oppress：to treat a group of people unfairly or cruelly, and prevent them from having the same rights that other people in society have
native tribes oppressed by the authorities
crush：to make someone feel extremely upset or shocked
Sara was crushed by their insults.
abyss：a very dangerous or frightening situation
abyss of
The country might plunge into the abyss of economic ruin.
At that time Bosnia was standing on the edge of an abyss .
thaw：to become friendlier and less formal
After a few glasses of wine Robert began to thaw a little.
account：on your own account
by yourself or for yourself
Carrie decided to do a little research on her own account.
quarry：the person or animal that you are hunting or chasing
Briefly, the hunter and his quarry glared at each other.
lust：a very strong desire to have something, usually power or money -used to show disapproval
lust for
Hitler's lust for power
slaughter：when people kill animals, especially for their meat
the export of live animals for slaughter
rut：in a rut
living or working in a situation that never changes, so that you feel bored
I was stuck in a rut and decided to look for a new job.
scent：the smell of a particular animal or person that some other animals, for example dogs, can follow
yap：the sound a small dog makes when it yaps
hum：a low continuous sound
hum of
the distant hum of traffic
unceasing：never stopping
his unceasing efforts to help the poor
measured：if you do something in a measured way, you do it in a careful and controlled way, not in an excited or sudden way
a measured response to the problem
She spoke in measured tones .
heels：be/fall head over heels in love
to love or suddenly start to love someone very much
Sam was head over heels in love with his new bride.
stirring：producing strong feelings or excitement in someone
a stirring speechstirring music
rumple：to make hair, clothes etc less tidy
He rumpled her hair playfully.
ripple：a small low wave on the surface of a liquid
ripples on the surface of the pond
She dived into the pool, making scarcely a ripple.
rock：to move gently backwards and forwards or from side to side, or to make something do this
She covered her face, rocking to and fro in her grief.
The waves rocked the boat from side to side .
Paul sat gently rocking the child in his arms.
Jim rocked with laughter when he heard what had happened.
imitate：to copy the way someone behaves, speaks, moves etc, especially in order to make people laugh
She was a splendid mimic and loved to imitate Winston Churchill.
grotesque： extremely ugly in a strange or unnatural way
a grotesque figure with a huge head
plunge：to move, fall, or be thrown suddenly forwards or downwards
plunge off/into etc
Her car swerved and plunged off the cliff.
Both the climbers had plunged to their deaths .
meadow：a field with wild grass and flowers
hedge：a row of small bushes or trees growing close together, usually dividing one field or garden from another
ditch：a long narrow hole dug at the side of a field, road etc to hold or remove unwanted water
peasant：a poor farmer who owns or rents a small amount of land, either in past times or in poor countries
Most villagers are peasant farmers.
rye：a type of grain that is used for making bread and whisky
rye bread
hoarse：if you are hoarse, or if your voice is hoarse, you speak in a low rough voice, for example because your throat is sore
He was hoarse from laughing.
hoarse voice/whisper/groan etc
perfection： the state of being perfect
My father expected perfection from all of us. the search for technical perfection
to perfection
(=perfectly) The beef was cooked to perfection.
slope：a piece of ground or a surface that slopes
a steep slope
a gentle (=not steep) slope
She looked back up the grassy slope.
utter：to say something
'You fool!' she uttered in disgust.
Cantor nodded without uttering a word .
point：be on the point of (doing) something
to be going to do something very soon
I was on the point of giving up the search when something caught my eye in the bushes.
The country's economy is on the point of collapse.
resume：to start doing something again after stopping or being interrupted
She hopes to resume work after the baby is born.
The rebels have resumed hostilities against government troops.
resume doing something
He will resume training as soon as the injury is better.
pose：behaviour in which someone pretends to have a quality or social position they do not really have, usually in order to make other people notice them or admire them
Her confidence was merely a pose to hide her uncertainty.
initial：happening at the beginning
an initial investment of
onstruction：the process of making something using many parts
Work out the exact design before you start construction.
ingenious：someone who is ingenious is very good at inventing things or at thinking of new ideas
mediocre：not very good
I thought the book was pretty mediocre.
a mediocre student
scrap：a small amount of information, truth etc
scrap of
He obtained every scrap of information available.
There isn't a single scrap of evidence.
fashion：to shape or make something, using your hands or only a few tools
fashion something from something
He fashioned a box from a few old pieces of wood.
fashion something into something
Jamie could take a piece of wood and fashion it into a wonderful work of art.
discrepancy：a difference between two amounts, details, reports etc that should be the same
discrepancy in
Police found discrepancies in the two men's reports.
discrepancy between
There is a large discrepancy between the ideal image of motherhood and the reality.
illusion：an idea or opinion that is wrong, especially about yourself
illusion that
They suffer from the illusion that they cannot solve their problems.
She was under no illusion that he loved her.
It is an illusion that the Arctic is dark in winter.
She had no illusions about her physical attractions.
'I hate to shatter your illusions,' he said.
twist：to change the true or intended meaning of a statement, especially in order to get some advantage for yourself
He's always trying to twist my words and make me look bad.
fit：fit in
if something fits in with other things, it is similar to them or goes well with them
I don't know quite how this new course will fit in.
fit in with
A new building must fit in with its surroundings.
You can't expect a baby to fit in with your existing routine.
contrast：something that is very different from something else
The wine used in the sauce is quite sweet, so add dried thyme as a contrast.
contrast to
The red stems of this bush provide a contrast to the drab brown of the rest of the winter garden.